Originally Posted by
HardyWeinberg
For me it depends on the bike - longer chainstays on the touring rig, load up the panniers, carry 100#! Short chainstays, like the 2 roadbikes, it turns out the load just makes the bike ride poorly anywhere but a backpack, to my taste. I wound up taking the cool lightweight rack off the roadbike w/ eyelets because panniers just make it too unfun.
I know, right?! I only use my bike with the rack and panniers when I have loads to carry. Although when snow and ice season hits I will have no choice but that bike since it's the only one to fit 35mm studded tires. Winter riding isn't fun already, and this would make it even less so.